Bourbon Barrel Quad (BBQ) - Boulevard Brewing Co.

AltBock

Ohio

4.2/5  rDev -0.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25

Corked and caged 750ml bottle with a plain Jane brown and tan label of an oval surrounded by 2 crossed barley stocks and 4 hop buds. In this oval is vintage year and bottle number. This was bottle #10552 and from 2011. The back label has the Government warning, a lengthy description of the beer, proper serving glass, and a batch number/best by date. This was from batch 2011-2 and best before 11-2013.

When poured into a CCB Hunahpu Snifter, this Quad was an interesting hazy dirty reddish brown color. When I held it up to the light, this beer appeared to be on the orange side. It was a bit on the weird side. There's nothing wrong with having a weird hue. The head of foam was not as interesting as the color. On top was a short lived fizzy dark beige head of foam. It fizzled away pretty fast, but it did manage to leave behind a string of beige rings and a few miniature spots of lace.

The aroma was a little sour and tart. I have to say that it was more tart than sour. Up front in the aroma was the tart and lightly sour bing cherries. After it got the cherries out of the way, the aroma went Quad aged in Bourbon barrels. This part of the aroma consisted of lightly toasted malts, yeast, a drop a caramel, green apples, oak, and a subtle whiff of alcohol. I guess the alcohol was suppose to be the bourbon. I thought it got the cherries out of the way in the beginning, but they showed up again at the finish line. Interesting aroma, but still not as interesting as the color.

Was the taste as interesting as the color and smell. I have to say yes. The taste wasn't sour or tart like the aroma. The taste started off with the toasted malts, a pinch of caramel, and a splash of cherry. After the cherry, the alcohol swooped in like an eagle. Just when I thought that the alcohol completely took over the taste, the oak, a subtle taste of vanilla, and a tab bit more cherry came in to rescue the taste from the alcohol. No bourbon in the taste. Like the aroma, the bourbon was the slight burn taste of alcohol.

This was a medium to full bodied barrel aged Quad with a nice level of carbonation, and a slight boozy aftertaste. The aftertaste was on the dry side with malts, a small dab of caramel, oak, a big bite of bing cherries, and a lot of alcohol. I got the taste the alcohol, but not the burning sensation that comes with that. After a few sips, the taste of alcohol will start to work on your body.

I'm going to first thank fellow BA BlueOkie for giving me this interesting barrel aged Quad. The alcohol wanted to take over the taste, but the oak and company saved it. However the oak couldn't hold back the alcohol in the mouthfeel. Pick your battles I guess. It's a very good beer. The bourbon barrel aging added some nice characteristics to this beer. I would drink it again if I had the chance.

Serving type: bottle

05-11-2013 04:24:19 | More by AltBock

StonedTrippin

Colorado

3.99/5  rDev -5.7%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

mildly underwhelmed by this. pours a brassy copper color, a little hazy with some good suds on top and a slow going southern sort of feeling about it. the nose is a touch smoky, a lot alcoholy, and plenty sweet as well, with a huge grain bill and enough woody bourbon notes to bring me down to Kentucky on an imaginary horse. I like this fresh better than aged, as the older version (2010) thins out quite a bit, loses its more tasty sweet elements, and takes on a peculiar cocktail sauce horseradish funk that just doesn't belong in a beer, at least not in a quad. fresh through, the vanilla is large, and the wood is campy and mature. there is a statesman quality about this, formal in a way, but lax enough to kick the shoes off too. a good mix. not arrogant, but certainly not laying low in the background either. this is a robust beer, with just enough carbonation and a little less body than most American made quads. I appreciate it for what it is, but would not that its overpriced and a must share bottle at almost 12% abv. get it while you can, I don't think its being made anymore...

Serving type: bottle

02-17-2013 01:56:20 | More by StonedTrippin

Rifugium

Pennsylvania

3.69/5  rDev -12.8%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.75

Cloudy caramel pour, and I was surprised at the active, foamy head that formed, though this soon sank down to a thin layer, and left a few streaks of lacing on the glass. Aroma of smashed cherries, brown sugar, and a mix of bourbon and fusel alcohol. Tastes of brown sugar, vanilla, candi sugar, dark fruit notes, and oak soaked in bourbon and moonshine, with the woodiness taking an edge over the booziness. Medium body, moderate carbonation, enjoyable, but not very smooth, and maybe a bit too messy. Still a solid brew overall.

Serving type: bottle

01-30-2013 06:28:44 | More by Rifugium

oline73

Maryland

3.76/5  rDev -11.1%
look: 4 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 3.75 | overall: 3.75

Poured from bottle 8107 into a Chimay goblet. This bottle is from 2010.

Initially, when this beer was very cold the sour cherry notes dominated everything. The age has smoothed this beer out a lot. It's not nearly as sweet as I expected it to be. There are some dark fruit notes, but it's not nearly as candy like as I expected. There are some bourbon notes there, but I assume they have relaxed over time. The finish has a tartness to it, but the sweetness does show up a bit there. I'm getting some oak along with the bourbon. There is a funky note as well as some nice vanilla in the background.

The beer is cloudy reddish amber with a layer of off white head that sticks around. The carbonation is tingly and the body isn't as thick as I expected.

Serving type: bottle

01-18-2013 02:32:35 | More by oline73

gshak

Texas

4.9/5  rDev +15.8%
look: 5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 5

Poured from a bottle, dated 2011, # 19519 into a Duvel tulip.
A - Pours a rusty brown and forms a 2 fingers' width of head that gradually receded into a ring. Upon swirling it leaves some alcohol legs around the glass, which is to be expected given that this is a 11.5 beast of a beer. Nice viscosity to it. Very well done Boulevard!
S - Sour cherries!! Oh this has spent some serious time in the barrels. It is so very reminiscent of Rodenbach Grand Cru. No hint of booze or vanilla considering that it's been aged in bourbon barrels. This is interesting. I do not know what to expect from the taste - will this be sour, like a 11.5% ABV sour? Is it going to be a malt bomb? Or will the booze finally make its appearance in the taste?
T - Oh my gosh - this is mind blowing! Finally the bourbon makes its presence felt - when I take a sip, the olfactory senses detect a tinge of bourbon, but no heat! Wow - how did they do it? This taste is so complex. Initially starts out sweet, then the cherries come into play. Followed by more fruits on the palate - plums, some berries even, but the delicate tartness from the cherries presents itself throughout the palate. Alcohol is never felt - not in the palate, not in the chest, not ever!
M - Full bodied, but the carbonation plays ever so well and delicately to fill your senses with all the complex flavors that this beer has to offer. Perfect.

Brilliantly done Boulevard! This brew, I will seek out again, and again, and again....

Serving type: bottle

01-11-2013 21:05:28 | More by gshak

fiedler84

Pennsylvania

4.75/5  rDev +12.3%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

From notes..

Pours a ruddy garnet shade with a generous 2-3 finger head that dissipates rather quickly with absolutely zero lacing. The nose is straight up sour cherries. It has a real tart nose with a slight bit of "funk." Dark and candied fruit scents mix in nicely. The bourbon isn't overly apparent at this point. The taste is more cherries. Nice and tart, but far from sour. It's so well played. The bourbon again is subtle. It's not dominant, which, is actually good. Probably one of the best examples of well executed bourbon barreling. For a person that hates sours or quads...I'm diggin' this. The mouth is nice and crisp. Good carb, a nice tartness, and a finsih that's a tad bitter. The alcohol is indeed present at this stage. Overall, this is a winner.

Serving type: bottle

01-07-2013 11:58:42 | More by fiedler84

nsh221

Colorado

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

2010 Bottle 5933

A: Amber, solid clarity. Moderate head, quickly disappearing and very little lacing.

S: Very little bourbon left at this point. Pleasant amount of cherries and just a little funk from the sweet Belgian yeast.

T: Great. Again, not much bourbon, but it's still there. Cherries balance well with malt. Alcohol is non-existent a couple years on. Hints of vanilla and dried fruit are there. Well-balanced, relatively straightforward for the style.

M: Solid Carbonation, about what I'd expect for BA quad. Finish is lacking the strength I'd expected and the ABV would suggest.

O: Very impressive. My appreciation of quads can vary wildly, but this one hit the flavors i like quite a bit.

Serving type: bottle

01-06-2013 15:49:00 | More by nsh221

zac16125

Florida

4.18/5  rDev -1.2%
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750mL bottle into a chalice
2011 vintage, bottle # 4978

A big thanks to injuredreserve for sending this want over as a great extra in a trade!

A: Pours an opaque caramel brown with just under 1 fingers width of khaki colored head. Leaves only the smallest patches of lacing.

S: Aroma is a big sour cherry tartness, coupled with an equally big bourbon character. Im surprised by how sour the aroma is. It kind of smells like a gueuze aged in bourbon barrels. I know that sounds like that wouldnt work together at all, and Im not sure if it does, but needless to say I am intrigued. There is some spice and belgian-yeast estery banana sweetness, but its buried pretty deep under the cherry and bourbon. At first I wasnt sure how I felt about the conglomeration of flavors, but it turns out, I love the aroma!

T: Again, at first I am unsure by the flavor combination, but its very unique. Cherry and huge sweet bourbon character. Did they age this with bourbon still in the barrels?! Wow those bourbon notes are huge. I also get oak and vanilla from the barrel. As it warms some of the quad characters from the base beer come out, and more booze comes out. Banana esters linger for a long time after each sip. This is quite delicious, but (and I never thought Id say this about a BA beer) I think I would prefer if the bourbon character was a bit more subdued to allow the quad flavors to come out more.

M/D: Pretty smooth, full bodied, carbonation is low which is appropriate, its quite boozy, so the ABV is noticeable, which can be expected with the 11 plus percentage, but its not hot going down. Drinkability is good, but this is a slow sipper for a lot of reasons.

O: Overall, this is a very good beer with some very unique characteristics. The bourbon barrel presence is huge, and coupled with the sour cherry notes, make it like no beer I have ever had before. I do wish some of the quad characters were more prominent, but I still thoroughly enjoyed this one, and give it bonus points for being truly an original.

On a side note, if they did this exact same process (cherry fermenting with the same barrel aging combo) with an RIS for a base beer, the potential is through the roof.

Serving type: bottle

12-14-2012 02:36:40 | More by zac16125

Goblinmunkey7

Massachusetts

3.25/5  rDev -23.2%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3.5

2011 vintage. Thanks to angrybabboon for sharing the bottle.

Appearance: Hazed dark garnet. Deep browns at edges. Head is white and creamy. Collar is nice and thick. A small cap.

Smell: Tart cherry flesh. Some tannic skin. Bourbon adds a nice backing complexity. Vanilla, oak, and some nice Belgian spice. Touches of clove. Big malty sweetness pushed caramel, touches of toffee and some biscuit malt. Bigger push of cherries as it warms.

Taste: Bigger hit of bourbon than the nose would indicate. Lots of vanilla and caramel. Some more caramel malt sweetness pushes through. Lingering Belgian spice. Some tart cherry skin. Some missing cherry flesh. As it warms it becomes a bourbon Belgian spice bomb. The cherry drops out almost entirely. Biscuit and toffee. Caramel candy.

Mouthfeel: Thin side of medium body. Minimal carbonation. Some lingering dryness from the alcohol.

Overall: I need me some real BBQ.

Smells interesting, tastes like it's name.This is not a good thing. Lacks a little dimension.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 23:03:23 | More by Goblinmunkey7

angrybabboon

Rhode Island

3.58/5  rDev -15.4%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

Consumed 12/8/12

Note: 2011 vintage

Appearance: Medium amber, cloudy, pours with a foamy, off-white head - nice head retention, leaves some nice streaks

Smell: Bourbon, booze, cherries, with some malts - a bit different than anticipated - wood, bourbon, and dry alcohol - dry, tart cherry skins - cooked, caramelized malts - perhaps a bit overcooked - some dark fruits

Taste: Hot booze and a load of other flavors - Jack Dagnels, wood, and dry, hot alcohol - cooked, grainy, caramelized malts - malty, but somewhat lacking depth - burnt candi sugar, with some malty sweetness - dark fruits, fruit skins - lightly bitter, with some vague Belgian qualities

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body, nicely smooth but a lot of alcohol

Overall: Interesting, but where's the barbeque sauce?

Bourbon plus a quad? In the case of this beer, the bourbon elements seem to overpower the quad elements. This is not particularly bad, but it's not particularly good. The notes of cherry are interesting. Overall, a bit boozy.

Serving type: bottle

12-08-2012 22:56:31 | More by angrybabboon

minterro

Michigan

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

Review with my friend brendan... idk how it got deleted but here is a quick review.

2011 vintage

Close to brown color almost no head. Its as expected interesting, a mixture of bourbon and the fruitiness. It has a very interesting smokiness to it. And the bourbon isn't too overpowering, but it is still very hot. There is a huge apple cider/ cherry feel to this one also. The fruitiness makes this beer surprisingly tart. Also I wouldn't drink this one alone, i felt a little loopy after only having half. Very smooth going down like a good liquor.

Serving type: bottle

10-04-2012 01:49:10 | More by minterro

RblWthACoz

Pennsylvania

4.33/5  rDev +2.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Batch 2008-1
Bottle #4,842

Pulling off a quad in America is a feat unto itself. Producing one of such a high caliber is definitely a rarity.

Hints of cherries are on the back end (I'm guessing the age may have diminished it a bit.) Excellent character from the barrel. A bit hot on the end from a boozy thing, but if it's kept chilled, that doesn't show as much.

Serving type: bottle

08-30-2012 16:21:21 | More by RblWthACoz

PhatAtUT

Texas

3.95/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

2011 vintage poured into snifter

A: dark amber. virtually no head. not a particularly good-looking beer.
edit: going to bump this a notch because it was probably too cold when i poured first glass. as it warmed, it became livelier and kept a little head.

S: sour cherry smell very apparent. kind of boozy, astringent. hints of vanilla and caramel.

T: very tart right up front. pleasant sour cherries. more effervescent than it appears. only a slight taste of bourbon. gets kind of hot on the very back end, but considering its 11%, its not distracting. its a sipper, but its not hard to drink.

M: full bodied. good carbonation. sticky.

O: ive enjoyed this beer more with a couple of years on it, but its still quite tasty. probably better to split a 750mL with someone than to tackle it alone. recommend.

Serving type: bottle

08-11-2012 00:37:59 | More by PhatAtUT

LiquidAmber

Washington

4.35/5  rDev +2.8%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

Review from 8/2010 notes. Poured into a Gulden Draak tulip. Pours dark red-orange amber with a thick attractive light brown head that forms light lacing. Aroma of cherries, malt and alcohol. Dark fruit, alcohol light malt, some caramel and cherries followed by sweet-tart middle and delicious oaky bourbon finish. Not integrated and a bit boozy, but a nice flavor progression. Well done! I will age a few of these.

Serving type: bottle

08-02-2012 17:31:33 | More by LiquidAmber

Gobzilla

California

3.68/5  rDev -13%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.5

A: poured a dark brown in color with reddish highlights and a nice finger of head that left some good lacing sticking to the glass.

S: caramel was noticeable in the aroma with faint cherries, faint bourbon but had a little whiskey character. It did not have much belgian yeast notes as expected.

T: the bourbon was quite muted on the palate as well alongside hints of cherries, caramel, mild booze character, whiskey oaky accents but not yeast esters or dark fruit to speak of.

M: the brew was medium in body with a good amount of carbonation which had a sweet, lite booze, very mild bourbon, slight fruity and sticky finish.

O: it was decent all the way around and was lacking lots of qualities that a traditional quad usually has such as yeasty complex dark fruit character.

Serving type: bottle

07-23-2012 09:25:19 | More by Gobzilla

Alieniloquium

Florida

3.95/5  rDev -6.6%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 4

750 mL bottle poured into a snifter. Batch 2010-1, best by 11/2012. Bottle number 4353 of 11248. Reviewed from notes.

Appearance - Murky brownish red. Nice vigorous head that settles quickly. A touch of lace remains.

Smell - Bourbon, cherry, then malt with a Belgian yeast aroma. Vanilla. Missing the trademark complexity of a good quad. Simple, but still nice.

Taste - Bourbon, vanilla, then a hefty caramel malt. Nice variety in the flavor profile. Toffee, fruits, cherries. Drops off to a dry finish.

Mouthfeel - Boozy, but not quite 11.8%. A touch too carbonated and a touch too dry for my tastes.

Overall - It's delicious, but because of the Bourbon more than the underlying quad. I can't really tell if it's a good quad back there at all.

Serving type: bottle

07-12-2012 21:00:29 | More by Alieniloquium

cindyjeffsmith

Georgia

4.43/5  rDev +4.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

appearance: Amber, slightly hazy. Impressive off white head given the abv.
smell: Wow, lots happenin. Bourbon barrel aging is pleasantly obvious. A nice creamy, buttery edge. A dark fruit pungency, that must be the cherries though it's not blatant cherry to me.
taste: The taste does not disappoint after the fine nose. all the notes from the smell come together nicely.
overall: not for the faint hearted. Rich in bourbon, and dark fruit.

Serving type: bottle

07-08-2012 22:40:05 | More by cindyjeffsmith

BostonHops

Massachusetts

4.13/5  rDev -2.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.5

750ml bottle served in a snifter.
bottle no. 6387 (2011)

pours a cloudy deep amber / almost mahogany tone while yielding a 1 and 1/2" beige head. decent retention and lacing. pretty fragrant nose offers notes of cherry and spice at first, followed by some caramel / toffee characters and a touch of bourbon.

flavor is interesting, not really what i expected - definitely unusual for a quad. big tart cherry presence pulls through from the aroma, as do some spice and caramel elements. i think the bourbon is more present in the flavor than the nose. notes of oak and vanilla. medium bodied mouthfeel with average carbonation.

overall i'm finding this to be relatively tasty and definitely unique. unless i'm mistaken it's my first bourbon barrel aged quad. nothing earth-shattering but absolutely worth checking out, especially if you're into quads. just don't approach it thinking rochefort 10 after a barrel treatment; that line of thought will likely only set you up to be disappointed.

(originally reviewed: 01-16-2012)

Serving type: bottle

06-23-2012 02:57:11 | More by BostonHops

tigg924

Massachusetts

4/5  rDev -5.4%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Poured into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass. 2011 version

Appearance: orange-brown in color, hazy, 1 inch head, high carbonation

Smell: oak barrel, red wine, and dark fruit

Taste: complex, oaky, almost like a good aged red wine. There is taste of cherries and other dark fruit.

Mouthfeel: a bit sour, oaky, and a bit sweet high carbonation, medium-heavy bodied

Overall: An excellent quad and one that I would get again. I like the combination of oak and grapes. I would say I would get Rye-on-Rye over this but this is still a great offering from Boulevard.

Serving type: bottle

06-18-2012 16:14:04 | More by tigg924

DovaliHops

California

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

2011 Vintage. Pours a reddish-bown, almost mahogany color with a small white head that disappears quickly. Scent is dark fruits at first with a good amount of bourbon and sweet cherries. Somewhat of a tart aroma as well...most likely due to the whiskey. A good amount of vanilla and oak as well. Taste is not what I was expecting, with an immediate somewhat tart cherry flavor. The tartness immediately turns to sweet cherry and vanilla with nice oak presence. Lovely whiskey flavors throughout, along with a bouquet of dark fruits. A little bit of chocolate as well. Mouthfeel is medium bodied with moderate carbonation. Drinkability is high for such a rich and high ABV beer. Overall, this is another great beer from Boulevard. So lucky to have such a great friend who lives in Kansas!

Serving type: bottle

06-17-2012 08:07:11 | More by DovaliHops

jeonseh

Indiana

4.1/5  rDev -3.1%
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | overall: 4

Bottle poured into a Chimay goblet

A - Brown with a light golden color near the top. There is a lot of carbonation with this one. It had a caramel color head that quickly dissipated

S - Big whiffs of vanilla, oak, and bourbon. It also has a slight sour smell with cherries, lemon, and a slight funk. Very complex nose as each whiff brings a slightly different aspect of the nose. It's like someone took the nose of Red Poppy and combined it with the nose of a nice BA beer

T - At first, there is a nice dark fruit flavor as I get hints of plum and brandied dates. There is a strong bourbon flavor that comes through with vanilla and light oak. There is a strong alcoholic kick that comes through on the middle before the more funky flavors come through. There is a slight cherry and lemon sour flavor with a light barnyard funk that lingers on the end. The beer is good but the strong alcohol kick that comes with the transition between bourbon and the funky flavors is a bit rough around the edges

MF - Thick body with a light syrupiness to it. There is light carbonation at the end that comes through with the cherry and lemon flavors. There is a slight oak tingle that comes through on the tongue.

O - Overall a good, complex, and interesting beer from Boulevard. It is definitely interesting as it brings a lot of different flavors. It has a strong influence from the bourbon and the cherries. It does well to bring each flavor boldly; however I wish they were a little better blended together as the transition from bourbon to sour and funk is a little rough.

Serving type: bottle

06-16-2012 04:06:40 | More by jeonseh

Jeffo

Netherlands

3.23/5  rDev -23.6%
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | overall: 3

The Dooper shared this one with me a week back. We had The Sixth Glass Quad and this one back to back. Cheers for the cool beer night man!

From a 75cl bottle into a snifter
Bottle 1,192 of 11,248. Why bother?
Best by November 2012
Brewed with cherries

Note: We had an infected bottle of this a while ago, so the suspense for this one was massive...

APPEARANCE: Pours out dark auburn and yields a one finger, medium looking, cream white head with only decent retention this time. Cloudy with piles of carbonation evident. A good foam cap remains leaving some nice lacing down the sides of the glass. Same as the base beer, but the head vanished much quicker here.

SMELL: Medium strength nose of cherries, bourbon notes and roasted malts. The oak and bourbon aromas are outplayed by the cherries. Interesting, but a little too cherry dominant.

TASTE: Cherries up front for sure, with some bourbon barrel notes in there as well. Some oak, vanilla and alcohol from the barrel at the finish. A big and lingering aftertaste of brett cherries, caramel sweetness, light bourbon barrel flavors and some alcohol. Definitely cherry heavy, though the barrel and base beer play a better roll here than they did in the nose.

PALATE: Lighter body and higher levels of carbonation. Creamy enough on the palate, goes down smooth and finishes slighly dry. A little too light and carbonated perhaps.

OVERALL: Well, at least it wasn't infected. This was an interesting beer, but it wasn't really as advertised. A little too cherry heavy for me, especially considering it's supposed to be a bourbon barrel aged quad. A nice drink that I am glad to have tried, but not something I'll look for again. Cheers for sharing Doops. Another successful beer night!

Serving type: bottle

06-07-2012 18:56:47 | More by Jeffo

dbossman

Nebraska

4.38/5  rDev +3.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.5

A: Hazy reddish brown with a thin, light brown head and good lacing

S: Bourbon and fruits--cherry, dates, raisins--up front; lots of oak comes in as well; this smells boozy and fruity and oaky and malty and awesome

T: This beer has three years on it and thus is a smooth malty, vinous, fruity beer--the bourbon is there but more subtle than if it were fresh; lots of raisins, apples, cherries, dates, and plums; also a bready, biscuity finish; this is so tasty

F: Creamy, medium body; sticky, yeasty, awesome

O: This is an amazing beer that holds up well to a few years; the bourbon fades but the harshness does as well; well done once again, Boulevard

Serving type: bottle

06-06-2012 03:45:39 | More by dbossman

4DAloveofSTOUT

Illinois

4.3/5  rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

thanks to egrace84 for trading me a bottle of this beer! Thanks elliot!

reviewed from notes taken 6/2/12.

poured into tulip glass.

Appearance: a medium crimson / copper bodied beer with a big white head. Head has some staying power but eventually drops down to a thin cap. Fine chunks of fruit skins are noted at the bottle of the tulip glass from the cherries I assume.

Smell: Fruity, malty, tart cherries, and oak. Mellow and balanced nose thats pleasant.

Taste: It starts like a standard quad, but as the beer warms the bourbon barrel and the tart cherries really show up more. The balance between the sweet malt profile, the bourbon, and tart cherries is really tasty! The fruit profile is impressive cherries of course are prominant and tart; then sweet fruit notes of red apple, pear, berries. There is also some oak and earthiness to this beer. Best two words to describe this beer is balanced and complex.

Mouthfeel: medium bodied beer with moderate carbonation level. Its really drinkable and not at all boozy for a BA beer! Its both crisply carbonated, yet its got a little bit of creaminess to it. Carbonation levels are near perfect for the beer style.

Overall: This is really a neat beer. Great use of barrel aging a style that doesnt get barrel aged too frequently. This is my favorite smokestack series beer by Boulevard without a doubt. I havent had many smokestack series beers, but BBQ sets the bar really high for this brewery. This is my 4th favorite Quad that i have drank and its not far behind these top three: Westy12, Rochefort 10, and St Bernardus 12.

Serving type: bottle

06-03-2012 23:31:26 | More by 4DAloveofSTOUT

rudzud

Massachusetts

3.98/5  rDev -5.9%
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4

Picked this up at Julio's a while back, 2011 vintage bottle # 7313.

A - Poured into my Duvel tulip a nice crystal clear copperish hue with a big fizzy/sudsy almost three finger head that faded/slumped into a nice thick, super dense almost one finger blanket.

S - Dark cherries and dark fruit along with some slight earthy wood/bourbon notes. Slight off metallic aroma though.

T - Hmm..this is kind of a mess for me. Starts with lots of tart, tart cherries and fruits that gives way to nice chocolate. Finish is a bit bitter and strong bourbon. Quite boozy finish.

M - Just excellent amount of carbonation for a quad and a higher ABV beer. The ABV is noticeable but man does that higher carbonation keep it from wearing down the tongue.

O - Overall, this is a pretty nice bourbon quad. I think its still a bit too muddled/hot right now and would definitely stand to be aged for some time.

Serving type: bottle

06-02-2012 01:13:37 | More by rudzud